A day at the beach is something that a lot of people enjoy while on vacation. Perhaps you enjoy the excitement and fun had at your local amusement park, with all the rides and entertainment. For others, a picnic in the park is what your dream vacation day consists of. Whichever of these options is your favorite, the one thing they all have in common is that the day is spent outside, in the sun.

For as long as we can remember, we’ve been warned about the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. Anyone over a certain age will remember ads featuring the Coppertone® Baby that spawned a never-ending variety of products designed to allow us to have fun in the sun while at the same time remaining safe from damaging sunlight.

A little while ago, I went to one of my son’s track meets. The weather report indicated that it wasn’t going to be too warm, but it was going to be sunny. Unfortunately, I forgot to bring a hat or apply any sunscreen. Now, if you know anything about track meets, depending on the races you’re there to see, you could be sitting in the bleachers for upwards of six to seven hours. On this particular day, my son was racing in four events, all separated by an average of 90 minutes. His first event was at 10:00 a.m., and his last race wasn’t until close to 7:00 p.m. That’s a lot of time in the sun. While I didn’t know it at the time, later that night, the effects of sitting in the sun all day without wearing a hat began to materialize. By the next morning, I came to realize that I was experiencing an uncomfortable level of sunstroke.

Much like sunscreen lotion, or the more protective product, sunblock lotion that protects our skin from the unseen UV radiation from the sun, we have access to something that can protect us from unseen spiritual dangers. In Ephesians 6:11–12, the Apostle Paul writes: “Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.”

Paul goes on in this passage to describe each piece of God’s armor (Ephesians 6:14–17):

• Belt of Truth – this represents the foundation of the Christian life. God’s truth is essential for standing firm against deception.
• Body Armor of God’s Righteousness – on our own, we are not capable of righteous living, but with God’s help, we can live in a way that protects the heart from temptation.
• Shoes of Peace – these shoes were meant for walking! By faith, we should be peacemakers in this work, prepared to share the good news of salvation with others in our world.
• Shield of Faith – the devil won’t stand idly by as we actively profess our faith; by holding up the shield of faith, we are better equipped to extinguish the fiery attacks that come our way.
• Helmet of Salvation – we need to remember whose we are — we are saved by the blood of Jesus, and our salvation is found in Him. Remember that, guarding our thoughts and putting on the mind of Christ.
• Sword of the Spirit – we do not, nor can we, fight a spiritual battle with earthly weapons. We must wield the Word of God, spending time daily in Bible reading, memorization and meditating on it day and night. This is our offensive — using Scripture to help us discern and defeat evil daily.

Through the course of a normal day, odds are that we are oblivious to the attacks that may be headed our way. Some days, however, we are painfully aware of how the enemy is trying to thwart us at every turn. It is during both good days and bad that it is vital to keep putting on the armor of God. Just as it is vital that we lather that coconut-scented lotion on our bodies when we spend time in the sun, we need to saturate ourselves with the protection that comes from each element listed above.

I was fortunate that day when I forgot to wear my hat at the stadium. My mild case of sunstroke stands as a reminder that no matter what the weather forecast might be, I should always be prepared to protect myself against the elements — seen and unseen. More so, in life, I do not want to be ill-prepared for the battles that come from spiritual enemies — seen and unseen. “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13). 

This article was originally titled “Don’t Forget Sunscreen” in the July 2025 issue of The War Cry.